Folding umbrella.



No. 650,061. l Patented May 22, |900. c. H. ELY, .1. w. nANsEn'& F. B.RUE.

FOLDING UMBBELLA. (Application med. June B, 1898. 'Benewed Oct. 28,1899.)

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eases:

z-No. 650,06l.v Patented May 22, |900. C. H. ELY, J. W. DANSERf. F.I B.HUE.

FOLDING" UMBRELL.

(Application led Jima 8, 1898. Renewed Oct. 28, 1899.)

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PATENT EEicE CHARLES HOLMES ELY, or ORANGE, JAMES WESLEY DANSER, orFREE- noLn, AND FRANK lBERGEN RUE, or ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NEW

JERSEY.

FOLDING UMBRELLA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 650,061, dated May 22,1900. Application ned :run 3,1898. Renewed october 28,1899. Sernin.735,045. (rameau.)

To all whom t may concern..-

B'e it known that We, CHARLES HOLMES ELY, of Ofrange, in the county ofEsseX,JAMES WES- LEY DANSER, of Freehold, in the county of Monmouth, andFRANK BERGEN RUE, of Atlantic Highlands, in the county of Monmouth,State of New Jersey, citizens of the United States, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Folding or Telescoping Umbrellas,of which the following is a speci- Iication.

Our invention relates to various new and useful improvements in foldingor telescoping umbrellas, and the invention particularly relates to thegeneralclass of umbrellas invented by us and .described in LettersPatent of the United States, numbered 456,405 and 600,219, dated July21,1891, and March 8, 1898, respectively. As with the umbrellasdescribed by us in saidpatents,our present improvements provide for thetelescoping of the ribs, each comprisin g two sections, to the lower ofwhich sections the braces or stretchers are pivoted at their upper ends,means being provided for locking the two sections of each rib togetherwhen the umbrella is to be used or forr unlocking them to allow for therelative movement of the two sections when it is desired to fold theumbrella, and the stick or staff of the umbrella being made in sectionsreadily removable from each other, whereby a very oompact and portablepackage will be secured when the umbrella is not in use. Our presentinvention relates especially to improvements in the devices for lockingthe two sections of each of the ribs together, which means are of simpleconstruction and allow for the simultaneous release and locking of allof the ribs; and, further, our improvements relate to novel devices forsecuring the sections of the stick or staff together.

The objects of our present invention are to simplify and improve theoperation generally of folding umbrellas, especially so far as suchyoperations relate to the locking and -unlocking of the rib-sections andto the securing together of the portions constituting the stick or sta.

In carrying out our present invention We employ ribs, preferably of theParagon type, each arranged in two sections, the ini ner section of eachrib being arranged to telescope into or upon the outer section, theouter section of each rib being connected to a spreader orstretching-brace, as is common in devices of this type, the inner endsof such spreaders or stretching-braces being connect=` ed to a sleevesurrounding the stick or sta of the umbrella and which constitutes thebody or main part of the runner. W'e mount Within and extend adjacent toeach spreader or stretchingbrace a locking-bar, which may be concealedby such brace, the end of which locking-bar forms a cam, which isarranged lo be engaged with or disengaged from a stop or otherprojection formed upon or carried within the inner section of each riband the locking-bars being all connected at their inner ends by asupplemental sleeve, which surrounds the main sleeve or runner of theumbrella and which is arranged to be moved laterally with respect tosaid runner. The camheads of the locking-bars are provided with y slotstherein of peculiar form, which slots engage with the pivot-pins towhich the stretchers or brace-rods are pivoted, the formation of saidslots being such as will maintain the cam-heads of the locking-bars inengagement with the stop or other projection on each of the uppersections of the ribs when the supplemental sleeve which surrounds therunner is in alocked position.v The said slots are so arranged, however,that when the su pplemental sleeve is moved relatively to the runner thecam-heads of the locking-bars will be withdrawn from engagement with thestops or other projections formed on the upper section of each rib,thereby disengaging the ribs and allowing for the` telescoping thereof.These parts are by preference so arranged and will be so described thatthis disengagement of the cam-heads of the locking-bars with the stopsor other projections can take place only when' the umbrella is in aclosed position, whereby when the umbrella is open there can be nopossibility of its getting out of order or accidentally telescoping`In'carrying our invention further into effeet We make the stick or staof the umbrella in two preferably-tubular sections, and We mount in theupper section a closely-fit-` ting rod having a scarf-joint at its lowerend,

Awhen the two scarf-joints have been interlocked and the sleeve moveddownward to carry the rod from theu-pper section into the' lower sectionthe handle may be engaged with said sleeveto force the two 'portions of'the stick or stai tightly together and at the same time to. hold thehandle Iirmlyin place.

In order to prevent any possible relative movement. of the two sectionsof thestic-k or staff, we-pro-vide. the said tubular sections with aninterlocking tenon and recessall as we. willv more y fully hereinafterdescribe and claim. Y

In orderthat ourV present im prov-ement may be better understood,attention is directed to the accompanyingl drawings, fo-rminga part ofthis speciication, and in which- Figure 1 is a full-sized sectional viewof a portion of the upper. section of an umbrella, showing apart of thetip in place, illustrating the upper portion of one rib, a part of oneof the stretchers orbrace-rods, anda part of one. of the locking-rods,showing the preferred construction of runner, supplemental sleeve, andlocking device therefor. Fig. 1fL

` isacont-inuation of the same parts shownv in Fig. 1, illustrating thelower portion of the upper. section of one rib, the upper portion ofthelower section of the same rib,'and the f outer endsof the stretcher orbrace-rod and locjking-rodshown in Fig. 1; Fig. 2, au enlarged sectionalview of the elements shown in Fig.` 1, except the tip, illustrating theparts. in their closed position, but with the sections of the' rib stilllocked together Fig. 3, a. similar viewshowiug the sections of the ribvunlocked; Fig. 4, a corresponding View showing` the sections of the ribmoved rela-V tiveltyto each other; Fig. 5, a Vlongitudinal sectionalView of the improved joint for the twosections of the stick or stad,illustratf ing the preferred construction 0E handle and vided at aboutthe center, at which `point the its connections, which coperate with theim proved-jloint; and `Fig. 6 a perspective View of aipartofthe. stick,showin-g Amore clearly the scart-joint thereof.

In-all ofthe above views corresponding parts are represented by the samenumerals Voi? reference. fr The stick or staff l of the umbrella ispreferably of the usual tubular form, being ditwo; sections may bejoined together. The

preferred Vform of jointrbetween the two sectionswi-lil" first bedescribed. The uppersection of thestiek `or stad is provided with anvgage the scarfed `ends of the rods 2 .idly secured therein.

internal rod 2, which is adapted to fit within the lower section of thestick when the parts are to be united together. Preferably the rod 2 ismovable into and out of the upper secftion of the stick, being providedwith a slot 3 therein, with which a pin 4 engages. This constructionvsomewhat. shortens the. upper section of the stick when the umbrella isto be collapsed and also facilitates in the manipulation of the joint,as we wilt/explain.

A Mounted within the lower section of the stick or stait is a similarrod 5, arranged to move verticallyin said section. The engaging ends ofthe rods 2 and 5 are provided with scarfs ,6 6,.constituting awell-known form of interlocking joint, inlieu ofwhich, however, anyother type of interlocking joint may be employed. The rod 5 is arrangedto be moved .within thelower section of the stick, so as to disclose thescarf 6 thereof for engagement with the corresponding scarf of the, rod2, as shown in Fig. 6. 'In order to operate the rod `5 within thelowerfsection of the stick when it is desired to engage the two sectionstogether, we provide va sleeve 7, mounted on lower section thereof, andthat by engaging the scarfedends of the rods 2 and 5 together, thesleeve 7 may be moved downwardA te draw the rod 2 within the lowersection of the stick, and thereby secure a very firm and rigid joint.VIn order toprevent yrelative movement of the two parts of. the

stick or staff, we prefer to provide one section thereof witha tenon13', which engages a Vgroove 14:' in the other section when the twosectionsare brought together. By making the Vrod 2 movable'within theupper section `oi" the stick it is possible, in securing the parts ofthe stick together, tofirst enand 5 and to then bring the two tubularsections together, in which movement the upper portion of the rod willenter the .upper section of the stick topreserve the alinemcnt of thetwo stick-sections, and subsequently the sleeve 7 may be moved downwardto advance the rod 2 within the lower stick-section. It

is, however, not strictly necessary to make the rod 2 movable within theupper stick sec tion, and, if desired, the said rod maybe rig'- Afterthe rods 2 and 5 have been engaged together and' therod 2 has been movedwithin the lower stick-section it is desirable to apply vstress to suchrods to force the two stick-'sections tightly together and maintain thejoint between themper- IOS IIO,

fectly tirm and rigid. Ne prefer to do this by means of a removablehandle of novel construction. The said handle 15 is provided at itsupper end with a metal sleeve 1G, which is rigidly secured in place, andwithin said sleeve and rigidly connected therewith is a closed sleeve17, the closed lower end thereof forming a bearing for the bottom end ofthe lower stick-section. Mounted on the upper end of the tube 16 is arotatable nut 1S, having a vmilled periphery by which it may be rotatedand provided with a screw-threaded bore which engages the screw-threads19 on the upper end of the sliding sleeve 7. In order that the nut 18may be applied to the stationary sleeve 16, we prefer to make said nutin two parts 2O and 2l, the former portion being provided with anoutturned rim 22, which engages beneath an annular lip 23 on the tube16, and the outer section 21 working above said annular lip and beingsoldered or otherwise secured to the section 20. By providing the handle15 with a rotatable nut at its upper end it will be obvious that whenthe sleeve 7 has been moved downward to engage the rod 2 within thelower stick-section the `handle may be inserted in position'over saidsleeve, with the bottom of the lower stick-section in engagement withthe closed lower end of the sleeve 17. By now engaging the nut 18 withthe screw threads 19 and by rotating said nut the sleeve 7 will be'forced downward, forcing the rod 2 within the lower sticksection andengaging the two stick-sections firmly and rigidly together. This alsoresults in the securing of the handle 15 tightly in position upon thelower stick-section. In this way we obtain a joint between the twosections of the stick or staff of ourimproved umbrella, which joint isvery rigid in construction and does not in any way affect or mar theappearance of the stick, and we also provide in connection with suchjoint and in coperation therewith means by which the umbrella-handle mayloe firmly and rigidly secured in place to the lower sticksection.

Referring now to the construction and arrangement of the parts relatingto the ribs,

24 represents the upper section of one rib' pivoted or hinged in theusual way to the top notch 25 and of the common Paragon type-t'. e.,being substantially U-shaped in cross-section. Y same rib, which workson the outside of the upper section 24. The section 24is provided at itsextreme lower end with a stationary guide-sleeve 27, which encirclessection 26, and the section 26 is provided at its upper end with anextended sleeve 28, which engages the section 24, whereby these twosections may telescope together in the usual way.

29 represents -one of thc brace rods or stretchers, which is pivoted atits upper end within lugs or ears 30, integral with the sleeve 28, andatits lower end to the runner of the umbrella, said runnerconstituting-a sleeve 2G is the lower section of the 31, adapted to belocked in its uppermost pobrella presents substantially the appearanceof an ordinary unrbrella. The outer end of each locking-rod 33 isprovided with an integral cam-head 35, which when the ribs arel to 'belocked in their extended positions engages behind a lug or projection36, formed on the inside of the upper section 24 of each rib, and bywhich movement of the section- 26 relative to the section 24 will beprevented. Owing to the dilference in the pivot-,points of thestretchers 29 and the locking-rods 33, it is necessary tol provide thecam-heads 35 with a short longitudinal slot 37 therein to allow thelocking-rods to move slightly with respect to the stretchers orbrace-rods in the closing operation. The slots 37 are provided withcontinuations 38, which extend at an angle with respect to the same to apoint adjacent to the periphery of the cam-head 35. The slot `37 and itscontinuationior extension 38 of each locking-rod are so proportionedthat when the runner 3l is in an elevated position and locked by thelatch 32 to extend the ribs 24 outward the pin will rest in the extremeinner portion of said slot, as shown in Fig. 1n, but when the saidrunner is moved to the limit of its downward movement and is locked bythe latch 12 the pin will rest in the exsleeve 34 slightly downward, asshown inFig.

3, all of the locking-rods will be moved to carry the pins of each ofthe ribsintothe'ex1 tension or continuation 3S of each slot, so as towithdraw the cam-heads 35 from theirengagement with the stops orprojections 36, and thereby release the lower section of each rib7 asshown, whereby the ribs may be telescoped together, as shown in Fig. 4andas we illustrate in our said patents before referred to. movement ofthe supplemental sleeve 34,'we prefer to provide the runner 31 with arota-V table nut or ring 39, screw-threaded thereon and adapted to beengaged with the lower end of the sleeve 34 to force the same firmlyupward when it is desired to lock the sections of the ribs together.When it is desired to unlock the rib-sections, the ring or nut 39 willbe turned, as shown in Fig. 3, to allow the supplemental sleeve 34 to bemoved downward to release the cam-heads simultaneously from theirengagement with all of the studs The lower ends of all the locking-rodsTOO IIO

In order to allow for the slight relative or projections 3.6.` It willthus be seen that` l .we have provided a device by which'thesections ofallofthe ribs maybe simultaneously locked or unlocked when it isdesiredto extend or collapse the umbrella and that such devices forthisl purpose are compact, simple,

and eective, and, moreover, are not in any sense conspicuous, so thatthe umbrella gives to the eye the general appearance of an ordinaryumbrella.

The stick 1 is provided at its upper end with a, tip 40, which is alsopreferably tubular, having the ordinary ferrule (not shown) at its outerend, and is provided at its inner fitting tightly within a sleeve 42 inthe extreme end of the stick. This tip is provided with aspri-ng-latch43, operated by a thumbf piece 44, which latch is adapted to snap i-n-toengagement beneath the sleeve 42 when the tip is inserted in place,whereby a very simple, attractive, and easily-operated construction islobtained. If desired, each stretcher or brace-rod 29 may be providedwith one or more small sleeves 45, (see Fig. 1,) which act as braces'forthe locking-rods 33 and by which said' locking-rods will be alwaysV keptconc'ealed within said stretchers or brace-rods.

carried by each of the sleeves 28 a nd to the tips ot' theri'b'sectionsv 26.

Having now described our invention, what we,- c'lairn as new, and desireto secureiby Let-V ters Pate-nt, is as follows: Y

1. In a folding umbrella, a jointed-stick therefor com-prising twostick-sections having l tubularportions, a rod within theuppersticksection adapted to enter the tubular portion of the lowerstick-section, a sliding sleeve on thelower stick-section, connectionsbetween said sleeverandthe rod in the upper stick# section whereby bymoving said sleeve. onthef lower stick-section the said rod will entersaid section, Va removable handle, and a 'rotatable nut carried Vby saidhandle and adapted toV engage said'sleeve, substantially; as set'forth.

2. In; a folding umbrella, a stick therefor comprising two sectionshaving tubular por-V tions",vafrod carried by the upper stick-section,a-rod slidably carried in the llower sticksection, said rods havinginterlocking joints whereby theymay be engaged together, and

la sleeve slidably mounted on the lower sticksection and connected tosaid rod, substan-` tially as set forth.

Y 3. 'Ina folding umbrella, a stick therefor comprising two sectionshaving tubular portions, a rod carried by the upper stick-sec` tion, arod slidably carried in the lower stick-v section, said rodshavinginterlocking joints whereby theyv may-be engaged together, asleeve slidably mounted on` the lower stick-v f section and connected tosaid rod, a removable handle, and connections between said handle and.sleeve,y substantially as set forth. j 4. In a folding umbrella, a sticktherefor comprising two sections havingtubnlar portions, a rod carriedby the upper stick-section, a rodslidabl'y carried in the lowersticksection, said rodsvhaving interlocking joints where-by they may beengaged together, a sleeve slidably mounted on the lower sticksectionand connected to said rod, a removable handle, and a nut carried'by saidhandle. `for engaging said sleeve, substantially as set forth. endywitha contracted or tapered portion 41,

5. In a folding umbrella, a jointed stick therefor comprising twosections having tu= bular portions, a rod slidably mounted in the upperstick-section, a rodslidably mounted in the lower sticksection, saidrods having i interlocking joints whereby they may be en gaged together,and a sliding sleeve on the lower stick-section connected to thecorresponding rod therein, substantially as set forth. A

6. In a foldingumbre'lla, a jointed stick therefor comprisingtwosectionshaving tubu'lar portions, a rod slid-ably mounted in the upperstick-section,y a rod slidably mounted in the lower stick-section, saidrods having interlocking joints whereby they may be en- '.gagedtogether, a sliding sleeve on the lower ystick-section connected to thecorresponding -rod therein, a removable handle, and connections betweensaid handle and sleeve, substantially asset forth.

7. In a folding umbrella, a jointed stick therefor comprisingl twosections having tubular portionsga rod slidably mounted inthe upperstick-section, a rod slidably mounted in the lower stick-section, saidrods having interlocking joints whereby they'may be engaged together, asliding sleeve onthe lower sticksection connected to the corresponding yrod therein, aremovable handle, and a rotatable nut carried by'saidhandle and engaging said sleeve, substantially as set forth.

8. In a folding umbrella, a jointed stick therefor comprising twostick-sectionshaving tubularportions, a rod within the upper stickysection adapted tol enterthe tubular portion of theflower stick-section,a sliding sleeve on the lower stick-section, connections betweensaidsleeve and therod in the upper stick- .section whereby by moving saidsleeve on the lowerstick-sectionthe said rodwill enter said section, anda groove-and-tenon joint between the engaging ends of thestick-sections, substantially as set forth.

i 9. In a folding umbrella, a jointed Stick therefor comprising twosections having tubular portions, a rod slidably mounted in the upperstick-section, a rod slidably mounted in the lower Vstick-section, saidrods having interlocking joint-s whereby they may beengaged together, asliding sleeve on the lower rod therein, and agroove-and-tenon joint be-IOO IOS

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tween the engaging ends of the stick-sections, substantially as setforth.

10. In a folding umbrella, the combination of a two part telescopic rib,a runner, a spreader or brace-rod connecting saidrunner to the lowersection of said rib, a lockingrod extending substantially parallel tosaid spreader or brace-rod and its outer end forming a cam, a stop orprojection on the upper rib-section with which said cam engages, andmeans for disengaging said cam from said stop or projection,substantially as set forth.

1l. In a folding umbrella, the combination of a two part telescopic rib,a runner, a spreader or brace-rod connecting said runner to the lowersection of said rib, a lockingrod extending substantially parallel tosaid spreader or brace-rod and its outer end forming a cam, a stop orprojection on the upper rib-section with which said cam engages, meansfor disengaging said cam from said stop or projection, and asupplemental sleeve surrounding the run ner to which said lockingrod isconnected, substantially as set forth.

12. In a telescoping umbrella, the combination of a two-part telescopingrib, a runner, a stretch er or brace-rod connecting said runner with thelower rib-section, a locking-rod, the outer end of which forms a cam,said cam being mounted on the pivot of the stretcher or brace-rod andhaving a slot in which said pivot is mounted, a stop or projection onthe upper rib-section with which said cam engages, and means fordisengaging said cam, substantially as set forth.

13. In a telescoping umbrella, the combination of a two-part telescopingrib, a runner, a stretcher or brace-rod connecting said runner with thelower rib-section, a locking-rod, the outer end of which forms a cam,said cam being mounted on the pivot of the stretcher or brace-rod andhaving a slot in which said pivot is mounted, a stop or projection onthe upper rib-section with which said cam engages, means for disengagingsaid cam, and a supplemental sleeve to which said lockingrod isconnected mounted on the runner, substantiall y as set forth.

"14. In a telescoping umbrella, the combination of a two-parttelescopiug rib, a runner, a stretcher or brace-rod connecting saidrunner with the lower rib-section, a locking-rod, the outer end of whichforms a cam, said cam being mounted on the pivot of the stretcher orbrace-rod and having a slot in which said pivot is mounted, a stoporprojection on the upper rib-section with which said cam engages, meansfor disengaging said cam, a supplemental sleeve to which saidlocking-rod is connected mounted on the runner, and a screw-threadedring mounted on the runner for locking said sleeve in its `uppermostposition, substantially as set forth.

15. In a folding umbrella, the combination of a two-part telescopingrib, a runner, a spreader or brace-rod connecting said runner with thelower rib-section, a locking-rod having a cam-head with a slot thereinmounted on the pivot of the spreader or bracerod, said slot having anangular continuation as described, a stud or projection on the upperribsectionwith which said cam-head engages, and means for moving thelocking-rod relatively to the spreader or bracerod whereby said cam-headwill be disengaged from the stud or projection, substantially as setforth.

16. In a folding umbrella, the combination of a two-part telescopingrib, a runner, a spreader or brace-rod connecting said runner with thelower rib-section, a locking-rod having a cam-head with a slot thereinmounted on the pivot of the spreader or bracerod, said slot having anangular continuation as described, a stud or projection on the upperribsection with which said cam-head engages, means for moving thelockingrod relatively to the spreader or bracerod whereby said camheadwill be disengaged from the stud or projection, and a supplementalsleeve mounted on the runner and to which said locking-rod is connected,substantially as set forth.

17. In a folding umbrella, the combination of a two part telescopingrib, a runner, `a spreader or brace-rod connecting said runner with thelower rib-section, a locking-rod having a cam-head with a slot thereinmounted on the pivot of the spreader or bracefrod, said slot having anangular continuation as described, a stud or projection on the upperribsection with which said cam-head engages, means for moving thelocking-rod relatively to the spreader or brace-rod whereby saidcam-head will be disengaged from the stud or projection, a supplementalsleeve mounted on the runner and to which said locking-rod is connected,and a screw threaded ring mounted o n said runner for locking said Sup,-plementalL sleeve in its uppermost position, substantially as set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 4th day of June, 1898.

CHARLES HOLMES ELY. JAMES WESLEY DANSER.' FRANK BERGEN RUE.

Witnesses:

FRANK L. DYnR, JN0. R. TAYLOR.

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